1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the preparation of chewing gum and, in particular, to a new and useful method of preparing chewing gum wherein a chewing gum composition is cooled to a temperature below -15.degree. C and it is crushed or ground to form minute fragments and the fragments are subsequently warmed to cause them to adhere into a chewing gum unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is particularly related to a process for preparing chewing gum which is light in weight and low in specific gravity and which exhibits a soft chewing impression when it is chewed. Many processes are known for preparing chewing gum which is lightweight and low in specific gravity and which give a soft chewing impression when chewed, including one in which foaming agents are added to a chewing gum composition in the presence of water, and it is heated to temperatures in the range of from 110.degree. C to 160.degree. C. This method tends to harm the desired flavor and taste of the chewing gum products. In another method, for preparing aerated chewing gum, a foaming agent and a gelatine are used as mixing agents with a chewing gum base which is foamed. The disadvantage of this method is that the foaming agents and gelatine make it difficult to obtain chewing gum having a good flavor and taste. In addition, these methods both have the disadvantage that in order to obtain a desired fixed homogeneous texture of the products, the foaming conditions must be controlled very accurately by maintaining operating conditions such as temperature, etc., at a precise level, and this renders the quality control difficult.
A still further method provides chewing gum of low specific gravity which is prepared by feeding air through chewing gum materials which are being kneaded by applying the air through air supplying stirring rods in order to incorporate minute air bubbles into the texture thereof. In such a method, the quality control necessary to attain the final products of a desired fixed homogeneous texture is very difficult to obtain. With this method, mechanical transformations are imparted to the chewing gum and special devices are necessary therefor. With still other methods, the chewing gum is ground after a base is prepared by conventional processes, and known additives for the chewing gum, such as sweeteners, flavorings, colorings, etc., are applied. In some instances, the granules or powder is tabletted together with powder alcohol or powdered milk or cream into a multi-layered product. However, since the tabletting process is conducted at the final stage, it is difficult to obtain final products having lightweight, low specific gravity, and a soft chewing impression when chewed.